‘Pay Me Back’ by Rare Americans is anxious punk rock with a melodic, folky sensibility. “This is the story of a professional athlete turned conman who lost all his money from lavish spending,” the band says. “He ended up conning his own adoptive mother out of her house, after she raised and nurtured him from a young age.” The powerful, saddening story that defines this track is backed up perfectly by the music. The subdued, plucky acoustic intro is a great way to start the narrative. It helps the track build itself up before plowing into its miserably melodic punk rock body. After this soaring interlude the band returns to pummeling the listener with a barrage of power chords to really bring home the message of the chorus. This is an exceptional example of using composition to further the impact of a narrative. Other songwriters should take note. Check out ‘Pay Me Back’ below!